Bold opening: Alberta’s immigration policy is about to take center stage, and the stakes are rising as cash from oil sinks and the budget looms. But here’s where it gets controversial: the way immigration is framed could reshape provincial power dynamics and how services are shared with Ottawa.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is slated to address immigration in a televised speech Thursday night, just days before the province unveils a budget that is expected to reflect the impact of lower oil prices on government finances.
At a separate news conference on Wednesday, Smith confirmed that the speech will introduce new immigration measures, following months of signals that her government might curb access to social services for non-residents.
Immigration has become a central topic for Smith’s United Conservative Party as it seeks ways to push provincial responsibilities away from Ottawa and toward Alberta. The issue topped discussions at the series of town-hall meetings she held across the province last summer.
These Alberta Next panels were designed to gauge residents’ interest in rethinking the provincial-federal relationship. On Wednesday, Smith said immigration was the “number one” concern raised by attendees.
Smith argued that rapid population growth in recent years has driven up Alberta’s costs, and that weak oil prices over the past year have strained the province’s ability to fund services. She also claimed that many non-taxpayers rely on government services, which she described as creating “a lot of tension in society.”
She framed the social contract this way: taxpayers should fund services first, before non-taxpayers can access them, suggesting the current system runs counter to that principle.
While immigration falls under federal jurisdiction, the Alberta Next Panel had suggested options such as reevaluating eligibility for social services among migrants and even introducing a provincial immigration certificate.
Over the past three years, Alberta has seen a steady influx of residents from within Canada and abroad, in part buoyed by the UCP’s popular “Alberta is Calling” campaign, which offered tax credits to new residents and highlighted a lower cost of living.
Smith’s address is scheduled to begin at 6:45 p.m. MT on Thursday.
